A Demon's Wings: Vice College For Young Demons: Year Three

by Marie Mistry

  We all changed quickly into our swimwear and, after enjoying the steam room and sauna, my head started to feel clearer. Even Onyx and Ivory had fun. They made a game of splashing unsuspecting guests and watching as they looked around for the invisible culprit. With their antics to help distract me and numerous trips to the sauna and steam room, I did actually start to relax.

  By the time Jin and Kain kicked out my massage therapist and took over themselves, I had completely forgotten about everything waiting for me back at Vice.

  It wasn't until I was in the spa's perfectly-manicured gardens, lying on a lounger beside Rina, that she brought me crashing down to earth again. The others had returned to the relaxation room in search of food with promises to bring some back and now, it was just the two of us beside the infinity pool.

  “The clouds are good today.” Her comment was almost conversational but there was an edge to it. “My offer from your birthday still stands. Do you want me to look into the future for you?”

  I opened my eyes and looked up. The sun was just setting and the clouds were pale and fluffy overhead. I'd always maintained before that I didn't want to know the future but with the mess my vision from the Strange God had been, perhaps it was better to be forewarned.

  “Yes.”

  “Any particular things you want to know? How many nieces and nephews you're going to give me? When your men are going to pull their fingers out of their asses and ask you to have a mating ceremony? Whether you'll need to take an umbrella tomorrow?”

  I wish I had the luxury of asking such frivolous things. “I need to know what I'm up against.”

  Rina gave me a piercing look, her green eyes assessing me.

  She didn't speak again. Instead, she went eerily still beside me. I propped myself up on my elbows and watched her as her eyes blankly traced the clouds above us.

  “I see you,” she whispered, surprising me. Blaze had never spoken during his visions, but Rina muttered to herself. But that was the only sentence which made any sense. The rest was an incomprehensible mix of English and Demonish.

  It was only as those mutterings increased in fervour that her hand snapped out and clutched mine with a strength that made me wince. The soft fabric of the gloves she always wore felt strangely stiff against my palm and I wondered if the fabric was imbued with some kind of power. I knew that Rina wore them to stop herself from accidentally Testing everyone she came across, but the strange quality of the fabric made me almost certain they were more than that.

  Kain interrupted my train of thought when he returned with two plates in his hands. He saw the two of us on our lounger and smiled, but the expression turned to one of concern as he caught sight of Rina's vacant expression and her hand clenching mine.

  “She's in a vision,” I explained.

  He nodded and set the plates down on a table, scooped me into his arms and sat us back down again, taking care not to dislodge Rina as he did so.

  Even though he did this often, it still felt so good to be held by him, his brawny arms surrounding me. Though not as brawny as Blaze, Kain had the size and muscles of a true athlete and snuggling him always made me feel safe and protected.

  “Your present?” he guessed.

  “Yes, I asked her what I was facing.”

  “You realise you're supposed to be relaxing?”

  I sighed and burrowed into him some more. “Sometime in the future, I might have that luxury. Right now? With all that's going on? I need every edge I can get.”

  He just squeezed me tighter in response.

  Rina came out of her vision with wide eyes. “You're my brother's focus,” she explained, staring at me as though she expected me to know what that meant.

  “You're speaking seer at us,” Kain said, clearly just as confused as I was.

  “As long as my brother is in Lilith's vicinity, he should be able to control and fine-tune his visions. In my vision…” she trailed off, swallowing. “It was bad. Your mates were all in cells, and Blaze was using a tiny piece of your hair to try and find you. When I grabbed your hand to focus on you rather than them, you were with Professor Saxon and the old Prime, Craven. She was holding a knife and you … you looked dead.” She sounded oddly apologetic, as though it were her fault that my future wasn't exactly optimistic.

  I couldn't say anything, but Kain's arms had tightened around me as Rina spoke.

  “Did you get any more details, anything more specific?” he asked.

  “No. It was the blurriest vision I've ever had. The cell you were all in was generic, and I could barely make you all out in them … As for Lilith, I got the sense of being underground, but that was it.”

  “If not where, do you know when?” Jin surprised me by coming up behind me.

  Rina shook her head and looked between Kain and Jin. “I couldn't say exactly. But we're talking months, not years.”

  Oh shit. “Craven is still in prison,” I reminded them. “If he broke out, we'd hear about it.”

  No one needed to voice the obvious, that Craven had been a powerful Prime, Head of one of the largest Houses in the Assembly. If he wanted to make his escape, he'd have no shortage of allies who could help him do it. Blaze had even confided to me after his arrest that Craven's sub-caste was Punishment.

  Keeping him imprisoned was likely only increasing his power reserves.

  “The only thing we can do is stay vigilant,” I said, glancing around as I spoke.

  Rina nodded, her eyes searching the horizon thoughtfully. “I'll speak to Blaze, see if he can do anything to have Craven kept under a closer watch. At least now we know where the next attack will come from…”

  Yes, Professor Saxon looked like she might make her move at last. Something in me unfurled in anticipation. We'd been playing this game for too long and a huge part of me just wanted to finish it, one way or another.

  Nelly and Lulu came back soon after that and I let Rina and the guys fill them in. Viv entered mid-discussion and came to sit beside me, sitting quietly on the edge of my lounger as I stared at the clouds myself.

  Was Craven one of the three remaining Syndicate members that the Strange God had tried to show me? If so…

  Who were the other two?

  Chapter 16

  The relaxing effects of the spa day still hadn't worn off completely when I woke before dawn the next morning. Jin and Kain were up before me and the coolness of the bed in their absence made me shiver and peek to see what they were up to. They moved quietly around the room, picking out my clothes and packing my things with the same care they'd shown my body the night before.

  I stretched out, hoping to shift some of the tension in my muscles with the motion. Jin noticed and gravitated straight back to my side, his hands slowly stroking my back, massaging the joints of my wings.

  “Morning, Pet.”

  I smiled sleepily, because sleeping for longer than the Sloth in my harem was a rare treat. “Good morning.” I leaned up to kiss him. “Are you both coming with me today?”

  He shook his head. “Blaze woke us. Your grandmother rang to say she was passing by and wished to share your company for the journey. Aeron, Leonie and Blaze will still go, but in a separate car. It would look suspicious if we tagged along.”

  I sighed, pushing myself up from the comfortable mattress and shivering as my skin met the cold air. “I thought I'd have a few more hours before I had to put on my Lady Carazor face.”

  “You said it yourself: Vendra's your greatest ally while you figure out how to survive the world of demonic politics,” Kain reminded me, giving my butt an affectionate pat as I walked past him. “Damn, your ass gets finer every day.”

  I smiled, my hips swishing that slightest bit more as I walked to the shower.

  I didn't linger in the hot water or take time with getting dressed. If Vendra was kept waiting, she'd be even worse company for the long drive to London.

  “Will I see you both afterwards?” I asked, as I headed for the door. I slipped on my sigillary as I w
ent and felt the familiar sting and flash of warmth as it spread over my wings and horns. Almost as if my body recognised the stress the sigillary represented, an ache sprang up between my eyes and I pinched the bridge of my nose to try and banish it.

  “If you're very good.” Kain grabbed my hand and spun me back toward him, claiming my lips possessively. His mouth took over mine, his tongue sweeping inside to teasingly massage my own till I was squirming against him, the headache forgotten. “Hurry back to us, Sunshine. I want to be buried back in your sweet heat where I belong.”

  I nodded breathlessly, my nipples pebbling against the lace of my bra.

  Jin twirled me to face him. “You wouldn't deny me a goodbye kiss as well, would you?”

  “Never,” I whispered, reaching up on my tiptoes to kiss his lips as thoroughly as Kain had kissed mine earlier. Jin wasn't content with just having my mouth. His arms reached around me, his hands sliding possessively to my ass and squeezing hard enough to make me pant.

  “When you get back, we have plans for you.” He smiled as he released me. “Stay safe, Lady Carazor.”

  I scoffed with all the haughtiness I could muster. “Of course I will.”

  The gusty wind kept most unshown inside on my way to the Gatehouse but the stubborn few still working on the grounds bowed as I passed. There was no limo waiting for me this time, but Aeron and Blaze were stood just past the portcullis, their backs to me.

  When I approached, they both did a cautious sweep of the area before Aeron swung me up in his arms. His coffee and sandalwood scent surrounded me and I breathed him in, revelling in the closeness.

  “God, Baby Girl, I fucking missed you.”

  I knew what he meant.

  Having him as a teacher was the cruellest form of torture. Every casual intimacy we'd once enjoyed was now almost impossible under the watchful eyes of the Vice College gossip machine. No one would say a word about a Lust having the occasional quickie with a teacher in a cleaning closet; that was expected. But holding hands? Casual touching? Kissing just because we could? All the things that fuelled Aeron's power were forbidden to us and it made me feel like a very shitty mate that he had to rely on stolen glances across the Great Hall at dinner.

  His mouth descended on mine like a man starved, and my body softened in familiar welcome. His hands tangled in my hair and stroked my horns as I clutched his shoulders for dear life. I never wanted the reunion to end but Blaze yanked us apart after only a few seconds.

  “A car is coming,” he warned, before planting his own hasty kiss on my lips and practically flinging me away from the two of them.

  “Where is Leonie?” I asked.

  “She should be here,” Blaze replied. “Lady Braxion won't wait for her.”

  The sound of running footsteps was almost drowned out by the arrival of three cars. Vendra's limo was sandwiched between two Jeeps. The procession of black cars was crowned with flags bearing not only the crest of Braxion, but also the Carazor crest and another that I didn't recognise.

  “It's the Ajax crest,” Aeron informed me, quietly whispering into my mind.

  Great, just what I needed.

  I stiffened my spine and glanced behind me. Leonie was almost there, her whole frame heaving with panting breaths from the jog she was forced to do, but the cars had already pulled up.

  I knew the correct thing to do would be to wait for Leonie to open the door for me, then scold her for her lateness. It was what Vendra would expect me to do.

  But I wasn't Vendra and I never wanted to be. I may admire her confidence and her forceful personality and she might be my ally, but Leonie was my friend.

  I grabbed the door handle and opened it for myself.

  I barely had to duck to enter the limo and I wasted no time in checking my surroundings. Vendra's limo was luxurious, but also clinically professional—much like its owner. She sat, holding court in the back, her unshown staring at me with wide eyes beside her.

  Directly in front of me, Morpheus' father sat, his twin in looks and character, smirking into his drink. Reece Ajax had the slick black hair and grey eyes which had been bequeathed to both of his children but there was a cold, calculating edge to that smile and his eyes were the dead colour of gunpowder, rather than Viv's shining silver. He wore black, signifying his status as a member of the High Chamber, but his outfit was accessorised heavily with gold. A gold chain sat around his neck, another around each wrist.

  Perhaps I was biased but I couldn't help disliking him on principle.

  This was the man who had fathered Viv as an 'insurance policy,' then disowned her because she wasn't a Greed and sent an assassin after her.

  I bit my tongue and returned his nod of acknowledgement, but I knew that I would rather cut off my nose than ally with this man. He sat like someone who believed he owned the world, spread across his seat. Even though he was relaxed, one of his legs was a little too straight. The angle was slightly unnatural and my eyes lingered on it a moment as I manoeuvred around him.

  “Gilly, go and sit in the front,” Vendra ordered as soon as she saw me. “I wish to sit beside Lady Carazor.”

  Gilly nearly tripped in her haste to get out of the car and, although I didn't blame her, I almost felt like a leper when she flattened herself against the side of the limo to avoid touching me.

  I took her place silently, delaying until Leonie was in the car, and the driver waited till I was just seated to pull away. Onyx and Ivory followed me into the car, their tiny, protective presence making me feel bolder than I probably should have in front of such powerful demons. They settled on the arm rest beside me, pressing their faces against the glass of the window to watch as we left Vice's tree-lined driveway.

  “I'm glad you accepted my offer of sharing our lift,” Vendra began. “I believe you're acquainted with the son of Lord Ajax?”

  The fact that she was so careful not to mention Viv made my jaw clench and I couldn't help the pointed look I gave her as I replied. “I had the honour of helping both Vivienne and Morpheus Ajax through their showings.”

  Ajax scoffed, but didn't look ruffled by my comment. “No need to air dirty laundry among allies. The girl failed to meet my expectations and was dealt with. It's only unfortunate that it's not within my power to take my name back from her.”

  “Being a Lust isn't a crime and you shouldn't throw away your own daughter for it.” I met his smarmy gaze, daring him to say more on the subject.

  Vendra smoothly interrupted whatever retort he had planned, stroking an imagined loose piece of hair behind her ear as she glanced out of the window. “So strange how things have switched. In my youth, she would have been lauded for her caste.”

  “Is that so?” Ajax didn't sound particularly interested, but Vendra carried on.

  “I was born a thrall to a Lust Jarl in the late eighth century … Lust and Wrath were considered high castes when the Norsemen ruled the sea, and the other castes were barely any better than unshown, good for nothing but slaves. It didn't last and the Norsemen fell to the Greeds of medieval Europe, who in turn fell to the Envies in the renaissance…”

  She trailed off into thought, and for the smallest second, I pitied her. Any woman who had started life as a slave to a Viking must have suffered some unimaginable things.

  But Vendra came back to herself with the slightest jolt, her icy, regal countenance quickly reminding me that whatever slave she might have been once, she was now every inch the aristocratic predator that Ajax was.

  “My point is,” she continued, “In my many years on this earth, I've learned that one caste will always rise to dominance, but they never stay there for long. The cycle is inevitable and it will only end if someone breaks it entirely.”

  “Whilst I have the greatest respect for your wealth of experience, Lady Braxion, if that were true, the unshown would surely be due their turn.” Ajax swirled his drink, smirking.

  Vendra laughed. “Now that truly is absurd.” She turned her attention back to me. “Though, on th
e subject of unshown, you really ought to reprimand yours.”

  I shrugged, aiming for an air of nonchalance. “That's not how I do things.”

  “Careful. To less understanding ears, you might sound like a Resistance sympathiser.” Ajax shot me a sharp look.

  “Lady Carazor is nothing of the sort.” Vendra dismissed his words with an airy wave of her hand. “She simply retains the sympathy of youth. I find it refreshing to see a mind unburdened by decades of exposure to the Assembly.” It was a backhanded compliment, but I knew it was the best I could ever hope to have from her. “Besides,” she continued. “Lady Carazor was almost the victim of a Resistance attack on her return from the last Assembly meeting.”

  I had no idea what she was going on about, but Ajax's eyes gleamed with interest. “Really?”

  Vendra was already nodding before I could say I had no idea what she was talking about. “Oh, yes. Have you not heard? They blew up her car to gain attention.”

  Was that what the Syndicate was saying now? I supposed the Resistance must make a convenient scapegoat for a lot of their machinations.

  “Then we have something in common, Lady Carazor.” Ajax's dead eyes were fixed on me now, and their unwavering focus was a touch unnerving. “I too have been the subject of numerous assassination attempts by the Resistance. One of which left me with this … deformity.” He looked down at his unnaturally straight leg with an angry expression on his face. “You see, my gift is Aurumkinesis, gold manipulation. They would like nothing more than to rob me blind and use my wealth to fund their systematic executions of the other Heads of Houses.”

  “Executions?” No one had ever mentioned anything to me about the rebels executing anyone, and the fact that Ajax was the one telling me about it meant that I was incredibly sceptical.

  “The latest victim was Lord Portinax, a great friend of Prime Delaroza, and before that Lady Dox was killed when the Resistance freed her unshown and they turned against her,” Vendra admitted, shooting an icy look at Ajax. “But it's not proper to speak of such things.”